[Kransha]

After a long deliberation, and careful inspection of Toby’s stash, the hobbit said, "They will do. Take a leg of mutton and a few other things, and be off with you."

Toby smiled graciously, concealing a slightly unsettling grin, bowed slightly, and scurried backward like a rat with some particularly exotic cheese in his possession. He had a large leg of mutton in one hand, a smaller piece of salt pork in the other, and several shining apples stuffed into his pockets. He didn’t bother thanking the donor of this meal, too busy with that leg of mutton. He settled in one of the chairs in the dimly lit end of the room, swung his surprisingly large feet up onto the table, and promptly began stuffing his not-so-venerable hobbit face.

In less than a minute, all that was left of the meal were some inedible strips of gristle and the cores of three apples messily strewn across the table top. Tobias gingerly wiped the corners of his mouth with the fringe of the table cloth and leaned back in the chair. He whipped out his pipe again, with an equally ceremonious flourish, and drew out a satchel of the finest Longbottom Leaf he had, laying on the table. Soon his delicate smoke rings were wafting through the room.

He listened to things going on around him, the conversations, arguments, even the meal chatting. He didn’t have an ear for gossip, but you never knew what interesting things you might hear if you listened. He only picked up snippets of unruly conversation, minced with the bubbling of ale and the tranquil crackling of the fire. He didn’t mind the lack of audible conversation. He was happy enough right here. With the pipe still hanging out of his mouth, he slowly dozed off in the chair.